Monaco Yacht Show 2025: reinventing yacht interior design
From 24 to 27 September, the Monaco Yacht Show showcased the Yacht Design & Innovation Hub, where the art of design and yachting excellence came together © Monaco Tribune
The new superyachts feature sustainable materials, wellness facilities and custom interiors to appeal to a discerning clientele.
The Monaco Yacht Show 2025 showed off the new trends that are transforming superyacht interior design. From bespoke furniture to innovative materials and wellness spaces, the marine industry is redefining its aesthetic and functional standards.
Custom-made fittings are becoming a must in top-of-the-range yachting. The trend is confirmed by Arnaud Digonnat, Managing Director of Ateliers Muquet: “These customers are looking for unique creations. Their boat represents an extension of their personality and their world.” This bespoke approach now accounts for 30% of Ateliers Muquet’s business. “We specialise in high-end made-to-measure projects, in constant pursuit of excellence and uniqueness,” he explains. The French company, founded in 1640, develops specific decorative surfaces and custom-made furniture that is suited to nautical constraints. Customers are looking for absolute exclusivity, according to M. Digonnat. This drives the craftspeople to constantly innovate, thanks to “an in-house artistic director who works with the decorators to develop new materials.”
Noble materials are making a strong comeback
Wood and marble are establishing themselves as the benchmark, the gold standard: “These essential materials are a strong trend,” observes Arnaud Digonnat. Wooden furniture now accounts for over 50% of Ateliers Muquet’s turnover, compared with just 15% five years ago. The high-gloss finish is particularly successful: “The high-gloss varnish technique is in strong demand in the yachting industry these days.”
On the textiles side, fabrics and patterns are evolving and adapting to the nautical market. Vanessa Crinall, Business Development Manager at Édition Bougainville, explains: “After a period of very linear models with geometric lines, we are now seeing a trend towards more organic shapes, with curves.” Specific textures that serve to“evoke nature” are part of this organic trend. In the yachting sector, the designs tend to feature “light, matching tones” with “very soft materials, suited to walking barefoot on a yacht.” Preferred fabrics include wool, pure silk, eco-friendly silks such as Tencel, bamboo and Econyl. This development reflects the growing demand for sustainable materials without compromising luxury.
Jesurum Venezia 1870, a Venetian brand founded in 1870, sees clients embracing simplicity: “Customers are always looking for something very simple, but with a touch of elegance,” according to the company that supplies all table linen for mega-yachts and private residences. This trend towards understatement is reflected in soothing colourways. “We chose blue and light blue this year because it’s always a sound choice,” explains a Jesurum representative. The aim is to provide linen “with no excess, no complex embroidery, but rather something simple and elegant.”
Wellness, a must for amenities
The conference entitled “Sustainable Luxury – Redefining Customer Expectations through Design” held on 25 September at the Virage Louis Chiron, featured key players in nautical design. Jim Dixon from Winch Design, Arthur Polanski of Sunreef Yachts, Gilberto Francesini of Azimut Benetti and William O’Ferley from Isoclima discussed the industry’s aesthetic evolution.
The evolution of luxury was the common thread running through the discussions. “Luxury has evolved, moving from post-war opulence to today’s concept of mobility and digitisation of the system,” said William O’Ferley. The transformation is reflected in the pursuit of unique experiences rather than an accumulation of expensive objects. Arthur Polanski confirms the trend: “Our customers don’t want a castle. They want a Beach House, something very relaxed and closer to nature.” This trend is driving designers towards more streamlined interiors, favouring relaxation over ostentation.
Jim Dixon of Winch Design explained his philosophy: “We invest a lot of time in moving things forward in our studio, looking for sustainable materials and finishes.” The studio favours “industrial and agricultural by-products,” and is developing a “sustainability reference map” to quantify the environmental impact for customers.
Gilberto Francesini shared the concrete changes made at Azimut Benetti to provide “better thermal insulation,” the use of “recycled plastic” in the bodywork and furniture and “PET-based foam” in the fittings. The company is also developing new battery technologies in response to customers’ “complaints about hearing the generator running at night.” William O’Ferley of Isoclima stressed the technical challenges of glazing: coping with “hundreds of litres of solar radiation that penetrate the ship’s shell” while seeking “finer, lighter solutions” to optimise the yachts’ overall energy efficiency.
Natural materials for high-end bedding
SAVOIR, heir to the art of Savoy Hotel bedding since 1905, focuses on traditional materials. The company uses horsehair in particular: “These are materials that our grandparents used. Horsehair wicks away moisture and lasts longer.” This approach is in response to a specific demand: “Customers are becoming increasingly demanding. We’re going back to basics, back to well-being, especially when it comes to sleep.” The aim is to create “restful sleep” for business customers who “only have time to sleep for four or five hours.” Their approach is systematically made-to-measure: “You can choose the firmness of your mattress and have two different levels of firmness in the same mattress if one person is heavier.” All the products are “signed by the craftsman, because the craftsman makes the entire product.”
Adapting to nautical constraints is a SAVOIR speciality. The company provides mattresses with rounded corners specially designed to fit the unusual spaces on yachts. The service extends to direct on-board installation: staff can travel to the boats and build the made-to-measure mattresses right in the cabins.
The Monaco Yacht Show 2025 confirms a transformation in nautical interior design. From horsehair mattresses made on board to organic carpets and high-gloss finishes, the industry is redefining its aesthetic standards. Invisible technological innovations, sustainable materials and a bespoke approach are now shaping a new maritime luxury that is more authentic and respectful of the environment.